'Gaydar' predictions are 65% accurate, says scientific study

A scientific study has claimed that most people can accurately use 'gaydar', by predicting whether someone is gay or straight.

The study found that test subjects were up to 65% accurate when having a very quick look at a photograph of a person. Accuracy levels were also found to be surprisingly high even when looking at upside down pictures of people.

Dr Joshua Tabak of the University of Washington said: "We were surprised participants were above-chance judging sexual orientation based on upside down photos flashed for just 50 milliseconds.

"That's about a third of an eye blink."

The PLoS One journal, which ran the study, also revealed that people instantly try to determine whether someone is gay or straight when they first meet them without realising it.

Dr Tabak added: "It may be similar to how we don't have to think about whether someone is a man or a woman, or black or white."

The study involved college students looking at photos of young men and women who had previously stated their sexual orientation. Only their faces were visible in the photo, without their hairstyle.

Women's faces saw a 65% accuracy level, with upside down photos down to 61%. The accuracy rate on male photos was 57%, dropping to 53% on upside down photos.